The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-12-01
A MEDICINE DANCE.
Terpsichorean Performances Of
the Kiowa Indians.
Dancing Two Hundred and
Forty Consecutive Hours.

An Anadarko Qndian Territory letter
to tho Courier-Journal, says: By invita-
tion of Sun Boy the chief of the
Kiowas, l recently attended, with three
other palefaccs the great medicine
dance Of that warlikc tribe. The place
selected for the dance was forty miles
west of this place, on Rainy Mountain
creek, tributary Of the Washita river.
The place was we'll chosen, with just
timber enough for shelter, good grass
and springs to supply drinking water.
The Kiowas formerly participated in this
dance annually, but owing to the scarcity
OF buffalo they have only had two in the
past five years. One buffalo at least
is essential to the Medicine dance, aud
they had to go 300. miles and pay 500
cash to obtain one for this dance. 1t
was just sunset when our party arrived.
A place was pointed out to us by one of
the chiefs, our tcpce erected, our horses
staked to grass and our water-kcgs filed.
All of this work was done by squaws
We were invited to supper, and to our
surprise were seated on the ground to
sumptuous repast, Of which we showed
our appreciation in very decided man
ner. One of our party could talk Kiowa,
so we got their programme, and being
weary from our days travel, turned in
and were soon in the arms of Morpheus.
We ewerc astir by daylight next morning,
and after hearty breakfast of beef and
coffee, but no bread, we proceeded to
take in the sights.
The encampment consisted Of three
hundred lodges arranged in circle
about one and half miles in circum-
ference. In the centre of this circle the
medicine lodge was erected. 1t was
circle one hundred and fifty feet in cir
cumference, with poles set in the ground
about four feet apart, and green brush
interviewer so thick that one could not
see through it. In the centre was
pole about forty feet in height, on
which the buffalo hide was suspended;
on the west side was placed the idol
they worship, which was figure cut
from stone, about thirteen inches high,
resembling somewhat a mummy. On
either side of the idol was q cone shaped
pile of sand, with a small opening at
the top, from which issued continually
very black smoke from one side and q
blue smoke from the other. How this
smoke was generated is beyond my ken.
On the east side of the circle was an
opening, through which old Sol threw
his resplendent rays full in the face
of the idol as he lifted his head
above the eastern horizon. The dog
soldiers were dancing. The dog In
dian is one who dances four days and
nights without sleep. II faithful, he is
honorcd among his people. The buffalo
dancers come next on the programme.
They dance four days and nights with
out sleep, but are allowed to take soup
and water occasionally in small quanti-
ties. They, if faithful, are honorcd by
the Great Spirit. The dog soldiers had
been dancing three days when VIC
arrived, but ono day of this was enough
for us. They danced until, from sheer
exhaustion, they would fall to the
ground, when they woul be caught up
by two or three stalwart bucks and
carried to hole of wet sand and mud
and rolled therein until they returned to
consciousness, when they would again
participate in the dance.
Any one of the tribe that felt re-
ligiously inclined and that they would
prove faithful, could enter the dance,
squaws excepted. We were not al
lowed to enter the medicine lodge until
we were dressed Ia mode, that is, with
sheet and moccasins on and hat of,
WucH VIC were tICalcu rs tuelT CQudlS.
The dancers were clad in sackcloth and
ashes. They work themselves iato a
high state of excitement, singing, pray
ing and dancing. Some of them would
be crazy for hours at q time.
On the evening of the fourth day after
our arrival, Ti-mu-da, the medicine
chief, declared that the Great Spirit
wore smile, and then the dance which
had lasted two huadied and forty con-
secutivc hours was brought to close,
the beating of the tomtoms having never
ceased during the entire performance.
Then the donations of the Great Spirit
began, but as our time was limited we
did not stay to see the finale, but there
are thousands of dollars worth OF fine
shawls, blankets, moccasins, robes, &C.,
deposited in pile to decay.